Tiger Fans – Show Your Stripes!

Show your stripes in style, Detroit Tiger fans, but first, learn how they came to be…

While researching the Tigers, I learned that it’s a common misconception that the team got their name from some stripey socks they wore early on. Not so, says Wikipedia! Apparently, the Detroit ball club was alluded to as both the Wolverines and Tigers before they joined the majors in 1901. The Tigers name was actually taken from from the Detroit Light Guard, which had a military unit so fierce that it was known as The Tigers – pretty impressive. The team asked permission to officially use the nickname as their own, and was granted the right as a major league ball club to do so. The aforementioned stripey socks didn’t actually make an appearance until around 1927, according to this account.

Now, rather than assembling an entire Detroit Tigers outfit bedecked in garish tiger print, I opted for a more subtle alternative for you to show your stripes, so-to-speak. This look is a modern take on office-wear that’s more suited to the millennial at a start-up in the gradually reviving Detroit business scene. A plain oxford shirt and sleek herringbone pants are updated with a hoodie, dress sneakers, and locally made bow tie – all in the team’s signature navy and orange. I selected another orange Tigers hat with a more washed out look to accent the otherwise neutral palette, and also added in some high-end leather goods from local maker to keep the ensemble classy. Last, but certainly not least, I selected sunglasses from local Detroit designer Mark Cox, and *this* is where the tiger comes in. In a frame color called “Bourbon Wave”, these shades show a subtle, but perfectly trendy, tiger striping that almost edges into the spectrum of the team’s orange. Speaking as a Mets fan, take it from me – sometimes, a toned-down interpretation of your team’s colors/logo/mascot is essential to keep you looking on point!